The Village House presents “Our Joy” A Black Maternal Health Week celebration. This FREE event will have food, kids activities, live music, and giveaways! Bring your friends & family. Register Here!

SBCIE Hosts our first skill-share for members and local Birthworkers interested in learning or refreshing knowledge of traditional postpartum care. Our very own member, Stannis Askew will teach this skill-share. Belly Binding techniques included.

Coffee Talk: Special event for Sankofa Birth-Workers Collective members and those interested in birthwork in the Inland Empire to join us virtually for open forum Q & A. BYO coffee or tea and join us for great conversation.

The Perinatal Equity Initiative is a statewide effort designed to equalize birth equity and decrease the negative birth outcomes among birthing Black families. According to the CDC Black women, are three times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related causes. The California Department of Public Health’s recently published one of many reports about Black Infant Health highlighting the gaps in health and life outcomes for Black birthing families in comparison to other groups. The state has made strides in improving infant mortality rates but recent reports show that Black infant mortality rates are still two to four times higher than other groups. Riverside County is one of several counties throughout the state working to correct these ongoing negative outcomes.

As a result of the statewide Perinatal Equity Initiative, Sankofa has recently been awarded funding through Riverside County to help provide necessary doula services for Black birthing families in the County. Sankofa is proudly working with the Black Women’s Health Project and local community-based organizations to provide these necessary services to our families.

We are looking for doulas to help meet this need! We are accepting doula applications until January 31st. Don't delay!! Connect with us by email at Sankofabirthworkerscollective@gmail.com.

Qualifications:

• 2 years of doula experience

• Have attended at least 3 births as the primary doula

• Demonstrated ability to provide culturally competent service

• Previously provided service to Black birthing families in Riverside County

According to the World Health Organization, breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival. However, nearly 2 out of 3 infants are not exclusively breastfed for the recommended 6 months. In most cases, breastmilk is the premium nutritional choice.  It contains antibodies which help protect against disease, it’s the perfect temperature and it’s free!! There are countless other benefits yet many Black mommas struggle to commit to breastfeeding.  A 2016 study conducted by the California Department of Health found that the number of Black mothers who breastfed were among the lowest in the state.

Sankofa is committed to providing mamas with the education and support they need to successfully initiate and maintain best breastfeeding practices. Join certified lactation educator counselors, Janisha Howard and Shavon Johnson, in Milky Conversations . We are creating space to educate, encourage and empower our community in providing for our families.  Learn about practices and techniques that will help support mom and baby in this critical journey.  Join the community!  Let’s get milky!

Our December meetings will be held: Dec. 3, Dec. 17 and Dec. 31.

Register here.

Join Aiyana Davison, CNM & WHNP, for a free to the community learning experience. Aiyana is a practicing Certified Nurse Midwife and a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. She is also employed with one of the nation’s largest medical healthcare providers. Aiyana is passionate about providing high quality care to birthing families and honoring the full scope of woman care. She describes her commitment to the practice as “sacred work to help individuals and their families become pregnant, remain pregnant and take care of their baby and themselves after delivery” (Nurse.com, 2018).

Take a little time to learn with us as we explore how to navigate important medical conversations and advocate for our families. Register here.

Vaginal steaming is an age-old natural remedy that has been used to cleanse the vagina and uterus, regulate menstruation, and ease period cramps and bloating. When you consider all of the things a vagina goes through from menstruation, sex, birth - and that’s before we get to pelvic floor restoration and recovery - you have to wonder why this age-old practice isn’t used more commonly today.

In this free to the community virtual session, Dr. Angela Gordon-Nichols will share information on the benefits and best practices related to yoni steaming. So bring all of your questions and an open mind. It might get a little steamy …

To register for Yoni Steaming 101 click here.

Join Ayanna @ayannabinta for prenatal combo fitness classes!  You'll connect with other pregnant mamas/individuals, get a fun cardio workout, tone your muscles, stretch your body, and learn how to strengthen and protect your core and pelvic floor.  If you are pregnant and looking for a fitness class that has you in mind, check this class out! Classes are led by Ayanna who is a mama, doula, childbirth educator and prenatal fitness specialist. 

Visit www.mamasocean.com to register. **All participants are expected and encouraged to speak to their healthcare provider before engaging in this class and any other fitness activities.

Topic: Prenatal Physical Fitness
Time: Oct 6, 2020 8:00 AM Pacific Time/ 11:00 AM Eastern Time

Studies have shown that Black women are 2-3 times more likely to have fibroids, get them earlier and experience more symptoms in comparison to White women. There has been significant research about the cause for this disparity. Some primary conclusions include, obesity, racism, childhood sexual abuse and even low Vitamin D levels. What we know for sure is that this is, in many cases, a very painful condition that impacts the quality of life for too many Black women.

Join us as we welcome and learn from Registered Kinesiologist , Amoy Jacques, MPH about prevention strategies and best practices in living with fibroids. Amoy is a passionate community educator and experienced health practitioner. We are excited to extend the invitation for this FREE to the community event and to hold space for our families as we learn to heal through wombcare and more!

Topic: Womb Care: Amoy Jacques
Time: Sept 28, 2020 05:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Click here to register.

Join the Riverside and San Bernardino Public Health Departments in celebrating Black Breastfeeding Week. They will be uplifting the things that matter to you most - like breastfeeding, nutrition, physical fitness, health and career opportunities.

This FREE family event will also celebrate past, present, and current breastfeeding families and advocates, and will bring awareness of breastfeeding and other health disparities -especially as it relates to African American families.

This event will be held on Instagram Live. Follow them at @healthywic to join the fun!

Click the link to register. Please call (909) 388-5668 for more information.

If there is a breastfeeding or health question that you would like our experts to answer during the event, please click this link to submit your question(s).

Join Public Health Associates, REACH and Flourishing Families Inc. for their 2020 Black Breastfeeding Week celebration! This year’s focus is to revive, restore, and reclaim our joy through reflection and healing! The event will include a panel discussion focused on the joy and healing process of motherhood.

Come connect and celebrate with the community.

Click here to register for the event.